Automatic weather strip for doors



J'une 13, 1933. R. D. PERKINS AUTOMATIC WEATHER STRIP FOR DOORS Filed Nov- 19, 1930 NVENTOR. VJ/Lw ii II il: E ifi MKM/9 BY ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .i RALPH D. PERKINS, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO CLAUS WILLIAM ANDERSON, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN AUTOMATIC WEATHER STRIP FOR DOORS Application led November 19, 1930. Serial No. 496,657.

This invention relatesto improvements in vautomatic weather strips for doors.

Vhen a dooris hung a crack or space must be left between' the lower edgevof the ldoor 11.5. and the floor or surface so that when the door is swung to open position it will clear the rugs or tioor coverings. However, when-the door is closed,-the provided lcrack has its disadvantages in allowing drafts, and so forth.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an automatic weather strip for the lower portion of a door to seal or close the door crack when the door is closed, and movable to an inactive raised position when the door is opened.

A further object of the invention isto provide an automatic weather strip for doors which may be readily installed in a door with- -out any material modification or alteration in the door structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic weather strip of the class described which is double acting, the arrangement being such that pressure applied t-o either end of the device will cause it to operate, whereby the device may be mounted in any door regardless of which side the door is hung with respect to its casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic weather strip for doors which is of very .simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture, is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

lV-ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved automatic weather strip for doors, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claim, and all equivalents thereof. p In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a lower portion of a door in closed position with, a portion of the'door broken away and in section to show the improved automatic weather strip therein, the casing for the latter also being in section;

50 Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1 showing the door opened and the weather strip in raised position; and

Fig. 3 s an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the H drawing it will appear that the numeral 5 indicates a door casing wherein is mounted on hinges 6 a door 7 he door is mounted so that its lower edge is raised slightly above the sill 8 or floor surface to provide a sub- 60 stantial crack 9.

A face plate 10, of sheet metal, forms part ofthe weather strip casing and support and said plate has itsupper edge formed with a .right angular flange 10 and its lower edge 65 is also formed with a flange 10 extending in ali-Odirectlon opposite to thatof the top iange Stamped out of opposite upper portions of the face plate 1() are a pair of inwardly eX I0 tending slotted guide lugs 11 through which anrelongated push rod 12 is slidably extended. Projecting inwardly from the push rod are a pair of spaced-apart pins or lugs 13 which extend through slots 14 in the upper 15 shank portions of a pair of spaced T-shaped rocking elements 15. The opposite ends of each lower portion of each rocking element carry inwardly projecting pins 16 which enter and are movable in arcuate guide slots 17 80 in the face plate 10. Said pins 16 are also forwardly extending so as to engage the upper edge portion of an elongated weather strip channel 18.

The lower end portions of bifurcated, re- 8,5 ciprocatory plates 19 are secured to opposite end portions of the weather strip channel 18. Also the face plate, adjacent opposite ends thereof, is formed with inwardly struck guides 2O which extend between the bifur- 90 cations of the plates 19, the platesbeing held against displacement by said guides 2O and being reciprocatory with respect thereto.

As will be hereinafter more fully eX- plained, rocking ofthe rocking elements 15 95 serves to lower the weather strip channel 18 and connected plates `19.` However, lowering movements are against the force of coiled springs 21 extended between the channel 18 and the guide lugs 411, whereby when the rocking elements 15 are returnd to normal positions, said springs, in contracting will raise the channel 18 to normal position. An elongated weather strip 22 of felt or other yielding and resilient material is secured within said weather'strip -channeland dep-ends therefrom.

Cooperating with the face plate 10 to form a casing or housing for the mechanism of the automatic weather strip is a complementary plate member 23 having an upper flange 23 and a lower flange extending oppositely to the upper flange. The upper flange 23 overlaps the upper flange 10 of the face plate, and is welded or otherwise secured thereto.v j

When the improved automatic weather strip is installed in a door the lower portion of thedoor is formed with a recess or groove 24 into which the casing 10423 is'litted so as to be housed completely therein and said casing issecured in thispositi'on by screws 25 extended through the lower flanges 10 and 23"into the door adjacent the recess 24. The casing is of a length slightly less than the width of the door, as shown, while the length 'of the vweather strip 22 and its channel is the same as the width 'ofthe door. Hence, the recess 24, at its lower end portions is lengthened, as at 24J, to receive and permit up and down movements of the projecting end portions of the weather strip.'

o Both end portions of the push rod 12 are reduced and threaded, as at 12", and the end j 12 "adjacent Vthe hingedly connected sidev edge Vof the door has screwed thereonto a contact extension 25. Normally, said extension 25 extends outwardly a slight distance beyond the side edge of the door-for yielding engagement with a portion of the door casing. Due to the construction of the ends of the push rod,-the weather strip mechanism may be installed in a door without any regard to the hinge mounting for the door and the' extension 25 may besecured onto whichever end of the push rod is adjacent the hinged side edge of the door. Obviously, a

recess 2S must be provided in said end of the door for the extension 25.

The normal disposition of the mechanism and parts of the improved door weather strip is as is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, this being when the door is open and the weather strip 22 is then maintained in a raised position with its lower edge coinciding with the bottom of the door, whereby the crack between the door and floor or surface is not obstructed. When, however, the door is pushed to its closed position shown in Fig. 1, the projecting eXtension 25 will strike against a portion of the door casing and will be pushed inwardly, causing a reciprocation of the push rod 12 to the left in Figs. 1 and 2. This movement of the push rod will cause the rocking elements 15 to rock in the direction shown and the pins 16 will move in the slots 17. Also, one pin of each rocking element will force downwardly on the weather strip channel 18 whereby the entire channel and weather strip 22 will be lowered until it engages the floor or sill 8 and closes the crack 9. The weather strip is guided in its up and down movements by the relative sliding engagements between the bifurcated plates 19 secured to the channel,.and

the guides 20. When the door is again opened, pressure on the push rod is overcome and the coiled springs 21 will return the channel and weather strip to the normal raised position, and the rocking elements will be moved thereby to their normal positions. Also, the push rod will bev moved tothe right in the drawing so that the extension 25 will lagain project outwardly of the side edge of the door. An important aspect ofl the inventionl is that the mechanism is operable in either direction. If pressure is applied to the left end of the push rod inthe drawing, then th'e rocking elements will rock to positions opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, but the weather strip will be projected in the same manner.- From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved automatic weather strip for doors is both simple and no vel, and

is well adapted for the purposes described.

What I claim as my invention is:

In combination with a swinging closure having a recess formed along the lower edge thereof and a casing in which said closure is mounted, a supporting plate mounted'within said recess, an elongated, integral, rigid push bar mountedon said plate for longitudinal movement in a horizontal plane and projecting from the recess at one side edge of the closure for direct contact with the closure casing Yupon movement of the closure to closed position, an elongated crack sealing strip paralleling said bar, coiled springs yieldingly connecting said strip to said plate, said strip normally being held with its lower edge substantially coincident With the lower edge ofthe closure, guide means between the strip and. plate permitting only vertical movements of the strip, and a pair of spacedapart rocking elements roclringly mounted on the plate between the bar and strip, each rocking element comprising a shank having a pin and slot connection with the bar and a head portion secured at an intermediate portion to the lower portion of said shank, each endportion of the head having a. projection for operative engagement with the sealing strip upon rocking movement of said rocking element to either side of an intermediate position.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

RALPH D. PERKINS. 

